Shadow Demon
by Kyaserin Marii
Summary: An evil parasite has been feeding on mankind for thousands of years. Every twenty five years it must find a host and a sacrifice. It has found what it needs under the streets of New York.
1. Chapter 1

**_Hey there! Well, here is the next story. I hope that y'all like it. The first chapter is very short (sorry) So, to make it up to you, I'm going to post the second chapter as soon as this one is up. As always, any tips or suggestions are always welcome. Thank you Leo112 for your help._**

**_I didn't own them last week and this week isn't looking any better..._**

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Chapter one: Departure

The four brothers knelt before their Sensei. A mix of excitement and uncertainty across their faces.

"How long will you be gone Master?" Leo asked.

"Only for a few weeks, my son," Splinter replied. "I know that I have never willingly left you four alone for this amount of time, but the Daimyo is in need of my assistance. I cannot refuse him."

"We understand," Leo said.

"All rules still apply, even in my absence," Splinter continued, looking directly at the red clad turtle.

Raph rubbed the back of his neck nervously and chuckled.

"Hai, Sensei," they all replied.

With this said, Splinter rose to his feet and hugged each son. He drew familiar symbols on the walls and chanted the spell to open the portal to the multiverse.

"Stay safe my sons, I will miss you." Splinter entered the portal and it disappeared.

They sat in silence for a few moments.

"Soooo," Mikey drawled. "Now what?"

"It's not that late, maybe we could rent a movie and watch it with April and Casey," Donnie suggested, giving Leo a hopeful look.

"Well, we should call first," Leo said. "Make sure they aren't busy."

"Really?" Mikey exclaimed, he thought Leo would say no. "Sweet! I'll call."

Leo sighed but gave a small smile. This was going to be a long 'few weeks'. He will be lucky to get them to wake up before noon, let alone practice. A little down time couldn't hurt...

"April said to pick up a pizza and she'll get the movie!" Mikey yelled from the living room.

"Okay, sounds good," Raph said.

They grabbed some street clothes and put them in their back packs.

"We should be there in about twenty minutes, if we go by foot," Mikey said as they left the lair.

They headed out into the sewers toward April's apartment.

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**_I'll have next chapter up in a few...._**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Here is chapter two, as promised. Hope that y'all enjoy. Thanks Leo112._**

**_I've already said this today, but I don't own them. :(_**

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Chapter two: Encounters of the Nutty Kind

A young man stumbled through the trees of Central Park. Stopping just a second to catch his breath. A low roar made its way through the trees behind him.

"No..." the man whispered. "Keep away, please.."

He kept as fast of a pace as he could as he darted in an out of the trees. He ran to a section of the park that was marked off with yellow construction tape. He slipped under the tape and ducked past the 'Men at Work' sign to an open man hole. With a quick glance behind him, he jumped into the dark hole.

He stumbled as far as he could through the darkened tunnels before he slumped to the ground in a heap. He was too exhausted to even lift himself up onto his elbows. The low roar caught his attention and he made a feeble attempt to crawl away. As the thundering roar got louder, a black mist started to pour out of the shadows of the walls and ceiling of the tunnel.

All the man could do was whimper as the dark cloud engulfed him.

"Nooo," the man gasped.

After a few minutes the cloud moved away from the man, the mist looked thicker and moved more quickly up the walls and melted into the surrounding shadows.

The man shakily stood to his feet and wildly looked around.

"St-stay away, please," the man begged.

The roar sounded deeper as it rolled through the tunnels like thunder. The man darted away with a new sense of energy, his screams drowning out the roar of the evil cloud.

Meanwhile the turtles were making their way to the manhole closest to the pizza parlor across from April's apartment.

Leo stopped suddenly, making Mikey run into the back of him.

"Ommph, Leo, man, what's the deal?" Mikey started.

Leo held up his hand to silence him. "Shhh, listen," he whispered.

In the distance they could hear the wails of the desperate man getting closer.

"What the..." Raph started as the man came into view.

The brothers backed up to the wall and watched him pass by, stumbling and screeching. He paid no mind to the four giant turtles that he just passed.

"Well that's something you don't see everyday," Mikey said, giving the side of his head a twirl with one of his fingers.

"Yeah," Raph agreed. "Usually they don't scream like that until _after_ they see four, giant, mutant turtles."

They heard metal scraping the pavement, and the man's screams die down. He had scrambled up the first man hole he came to.

Leo unsheathed his katana. "Whatever that man was running from is that way," he said pointing his blade in the direction the man had came from.

"I don't see or hear anything," Don said, shining his flashlight into the distance.

"Do you think we are in danger?" Mikey asked.

"Nah," Raph said "He was just a few screws loose, some crazy that's caught up on a bad trip or something. Why else would he be down in the sewers? Come on, April and Casey are waiting."

Leo glanced behind them once more. Sheathing his katana, he followed his brothers down the tunnel.

From above the black cloud kept to the shadows and followed the boys.

"These creatures are different from those on the surface," the mist thought. "But their life force is just the same, if not stronger. These terrapin creatures would prove to be a good feed."

The turtles stopped at the manhole they needed to get to April's and unpacked their disguises. The black cloud took the chance and quietly sank into the nearest back pack.

"Come on, Mikey," Raph said, he was already halfway up the ladder.

"Coming, dude. Don't get your shell in a bunch, " he replied as he slipped his coat on. He grabbed his backpack and started up the ladder.

*April's Apartment*

"Hey, guys," April greeted her guest with a warm smile.

"Hey April," Mikey said as he climbed through the window. "We brought the eats!"

"Good, I'll start the movie."

Everyone gathered in the living room and watched the movie. After the movie they spent several hours talking and laughing. Leo glanced at the clock.

"It's getting late," Leo said as he stood to stretch. "We should be going, we have to get up early and practice."

"Awwww," Mikey whined.

Leo rolled his eyes and pulled him up by his bandanna tails.

"Thanks, April." Mikey said. "Maybe we can rent another movie and have chinese next!"

"Anytime," April smiled. "You know you are welcome anytime."

The boys put their disguises back on and headed for the lair. They slipped into the alley with the nearest man hole. Halfway down the alley their attention was drawn to a rustling sound coming from a large refrigerator box.

An old man scampered out of the box. His hair and beard was long and stringy. Obviously homeless, he wore everything he owned at once. As he stepped into the moonlight they could see how weathered his face looked, from years of drug abuse and living in the harsh elements of the New York streets.

"You are in my home," he croaked. "Get out!"

Leo nervously pulled his toboggan down and adjusted his coat. He really hated being spotted by humans, even crazy ones that would probably not remember their encounter.

"Uh, we're sorry," Don started. "We will just go."

The man jumped toward them like a crazed animal, making all four brothers flinch. His smile, that he now sported, made them all uncomfortable. His green teeth (what few teeth he had) flashed and his beady eyes glared at them.

"We don't want trouble," Raph said. For some reason the vibe this lunatic was sending made him want to get far away as quickly as possible.

They turned to leave and with lightning speed the old man appeared in front of them. That caused all of them to flinch again.

"YOU!" the man sneered, pointing his yellow, cracked finger at Mikey. "It's stench is all over you!"

Leo protectively stood in front of Mikey.

"We are going," Leo stated. "We will leave your home, just let us pass in peace."

The crazed human looked the blue clad turtle up and down.

"Do you think you can protect them?" he growled, pointing his finger to Leo's brothers.

"I said, we are going" Leo repeated sternly. "Please do not make us use force."

The man stepped to the side, but his smile never left his face. The brothers passed him cautiosly, one at a time.

"It will feed and feed and you cannot stop it," the man called from behind them.

"Will feed and be stronger," he ranted as he scurried back into his box.

The brothers moved silently to another man hole and finally started their journey through the sewers to the lair.

"Oookay," Mikey finally broke the silence. "That guy was a fruit!"

"This city never ceases to amaze me." Don said, shaking his head slowly.

"Yeah he was nuts," Raph agreed.

"He was crazier than the guy on fourth street that thinks he is Adam West!" Mikey laughed.

"That guy looks like Adam West," Donny pointed out.

Mikey nodded. "Or, or the guy on the subway that ends every sentence with 'rama lama ding dong!" Mikey said excitedly.

"OK, we get it!" Raph said, getting annoyed.

"Or the lady by Arnold's' grocery, you know with all the cats!"

"Shut up, Mikey," Raph said through gritted teeth. It was way too late at night for Mikey to get this hyper.

"You're just mad cause she threw a cat at you once," Mikey pouted.

Raph rolled his eyes and swatted Mikey on the back of the head. "Let's just go home, instead of spending all night comparing nut cases. Besides, everyone knows you are the biggest fruit in this city, Mikey." Raph laughed.

"Says you," Mikey scoffed. "Don't throw stones when you live in a glass nut house." He dodged another swat from his red clad brother and darted ahead of Leo and Donny.

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**_What do you think? Should I post another chapter, or get my butt started on a sequel to Deceitful Betrayal? (or both, heh)_**


	3. Chapter 3 Part 1

**_Well, here is the next chapter. Chapter three will be in four parts (a part for each brother). Thanks again for the reviews and thanks to Leo112. _**

**_If I owned them, I would be sooo happy. But I don't...and that is sad :( _**

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Chapter 3: The Nightmare begins.  
Part 1: Mikey's Monster.

Leo rolled his eyes and sighed. After arriving home he watched his brothers shed their disguises and leave them scattered around the lair.

"Remember guys, we have to get up early tomorrow and practice," he called to his brothers as he gathered up what clothes he could carry. He shook his head when he heard disapproving groans coming from different parts of the lair.

With his arms full, he eyed Mikey's backpack by the door. _"He can get that later," _Leo thought. He shook off the sudden chill that he felt, thinking that it was only a draft.

After putting the clothes away Leo padded back to the living room. Mikey had already settled on the couch with an assortment of snacks surrounding him.

"Hey bro, wanna watch the late movie with me?" Mikey asked.

"No thanks," Leo replied. "Didn't you eat enough at April's?"

"I'm a growing turtle, dude. I need constant nourishment," Mikey said as he shoved a handful of chips in his mouth.

"Right," Leo smirked. "And by constant nourishment, you mean gut rotting junk food?"

"Efackly," Mikey mumbled, pieces of chips tumbling out of his mouth.

Leo scrunched his nose. "Nice." He left Mikey to his movie and went to check on Don.

Donny had already logged into his tech support job and was speaking with a customer.

"No sir, I don't think the warranty covers you throwing the computer tower out of a two story window. Well if it did dent your car hood I think you have to take that up with YOUR car insurance. Uh-huh...could you hold please?"

Don gave a frustrated sigh and looked at Leo. "What's up?"

"I didn't know you had to work tonight," Leo said.

"It's just for a couple hours, we had someone quit and my boss asked me to cover."

"OK, see ya in the morning," Leo said as he exited the lab.

"Night," Don replied before returning to the caller.

Leo climbed the stairs to his room. He could hear Raph's loud snores as he passed his room. He entered his room and removed his gear before climbing into bed.

After a few hours the lair was quiet, except for the white noise coming from the t.v. Mikey had fell asleep during the movie and Don was in his lab, fast asleep at his desk. Raph and Leo were in their rooms.

Over by the door the black cloud seeped out of Mikey's backpack. It silently rolled across the floor, leaving a fine layer of frost behind it. It was time to feed and the evil entity had found it's first victim.

The cloud settled over Mikey, covering his entire body._ "What do you fear?" _it hissed as it manipulated the turtles dreams.

Mikey unconsciously shivered, his breath swirled around his face like the ghost of a snake.

_Mikey opened the door to the lair and was met with a thick darkness. Darkness that felt like it could reach out and grab him...suffocate him._

_"Guys?" he called "Anyone here?"_

_Mikey stumbled in to find a light, anything to chase away the heavy darkness. But he really wasn't sure if the brightest light could frighten this blackness away. His foot hit something hard. As he tried to catch his footing he slipped in a wet, sticky substance. That sent him crashing down onto his shell._

_"Owwww," he groaned as he sat up. "Who made the mess?"_

_He managed to get to his feet, the substance dripped off of his hands and backside. Panic swept through him and he pawed the walls to find a switch, a flashlight, a candle...anything. The darkness tightened it's grip on his neck. His breaths came out in painful gasps. His hand finally found the switch to the main-light, he flipped it to the 'on' position, the click echoed in the room. As the overhead light buzzed on Mikey recoiled in horror._

_The 'something' that he had tripped over was Raphael. He was lying face up on the floor, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. There was a crimson puddle that was creeping out from under him...the same substance that Mikey had slipped in._

_Looking down, Mikey realized he was covered in Raph's blood. _

_Drip. Drip. Drip. Raphael life was dripping off of his hands and body in slow motion. With every splatter he felt more and more nauseous._

_Unable to hold back the bile that had raised up in his throat, he turned his head and retched. _

_Taking in shuddering breaths, he ran to the dojo._

_"Leo! Sensei! Donny!" he called in a panic. "Anyone?"_

_The dojo was dark, except for a single candle glowing in the corner. Adjusting his sight, Mikey scanned the room._

_"No..." he whispered. There was dark figure slumped up against the wall._

_He glanced around the room. The dojo was usually neat and organized. This was not the case. Weapons and practice gear were scattered across the mat. The punching bag that hung from the ceiling was busted on the floor._

_Sand from the busted bag crunched under his feet as he made his way into the room. He didn't have to get too close to see that the figure was Leo. His blue handled swords were tossed carelessly to the side._

_At first glance, his brother just appeared to be sleeping...or meditating, if it wasn't for the odd angle at which his head hung._

_Still, concern overwhelming him, he reached for a pulse._

_Nothing._

_He was cold and stiff, a small amount of blood that trickled down his chin was already dried._

_Muffling a cry he turned and ran out of the dojo. He called for his father and only brother._

_Trying not to look at the body of his brother in red, he searched the lair. First he went to the lab. Donny was always in the lab. Donny would know what to do._

_Entering the lab, the only light was coming from the monitor of Don's computer. _

_"Don?" he whispered. Getting a closer look at the screen, he found a red substance sprayed across it. He had watched enough CSI to know that this could only happen if someones throat had been..._

_"Oh no.." he muttered as he spotted his purple clad brother lying face down in dark pool._

_Mikey clamped his own hand over his mouth to muffle his cry and immediately bolted from the lab. Splinter was the only one he had not found yet._

_Back in the living area of the lair, Mikey frantically tried to think of what to do next. He wanted to find Master Splinter, but he was afraid the same fate had been dealt to him._

_His attention was called to the door of the lair as it creaked open._

_"M-Master?" Mikey stammered. "Is that you?"_

_'Please be alright. Please be alright.'_

_The shadow that was cast across the floor as the door opened wider was not his fathers. It was bigger and oddly shaped._

_Mikey started to back up. He jumped when the door swung open all the way and hit the wall with a 'bang'._

_"Who are you?" Mikey screamed._

_The shadow lingered just outside the door._

_Without warning the monster jumped inside directly at Mikey._

_Red eyes blaring and sharp teeth bared, it attacked._

_Mikey screamed...._

Raising up off the couch, his hand tightly clamped over his mouth muffling his scream, he wildly looked around.

"Just a dream," he mumbled. He saw no sign of Raph on the floor and the front door was not busted down.

After wiping the sweat from his forehead, he untangle the blanket from his body.

"Ughh." He wrinkled his nose. "I hope that's sweat," he murmured as he tossed the damp blanket to the side.

His heart was still pounding and his stomach doing flip flops, but he actually managed not to wake his family with his girlie screams.

He shakily made his way to the kitchen for a glass of water. The dark entity took this opportunity to make it's way across the floor, up the wall and into the next room.

Pleased with how much energy the orange clad turtle had gave him, he was curious as to how much the creature that was slumped in a chair in front of a blinking computer screen could offer....

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**_Next part will be up soon. _**


	4. Chapter 3 part 2

**_I don't own them. (At least that is what the voices say..)_**

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Chapter 3, part 2: Donny's Darkness

As Mikey stumbled to the kitchen, he felt a overwhelming sensation of someone watching him. He spun around quickly and caught a glimpse of the tail of a shadow dart into Don's lab. He roughly rubbed his eyes as he swayed on his feet. His screams must have woke someone up after all. Or maybe it was just Leo, coming to retrieve their genius brother so that he could sleep in his own bed for once.

On legs that felt like jell-o, he slowly made his way to Don's lab. He peered into the room, the computer monitor was the only thing sending light across the room. Even with the small amount of light radiating from the screen, the room seemed too dark.

The suffocating dark...

Mikey reached up and squeezed his throat, trying to will more air into his already struggling lungs.

"Don?" He barely noticed his visible breath as he called his brother's name.

He stepped through the door, his brother was sleeping at his desk. He didn't stir at the sound of Mikey's voice.

Mikey's eyes darted around the room. No one else was there.

_"The shadow?" _Mikey thought. He knew that he saw someone go into the lab. It couldn't have been Don, he was fast asleep.

Mikey's brow furrowed. _"Maybe I was just seeing things. I don't feel too good..."_

He turned to go back to the kitchen for something to drink. _"Then,"_ he thought_. "Then, I will get Donny and send him to bed. It is too cold in his lab. The heat is probably busted."_

Mikey stumbled into the kitchen. After downing a glass of water, he still wasn't feeling any better. His whole body felt weak, like he had skipped several meals. He grabbed a can of soda from the fridge and drank it. That made him feel a little better, but he still couldn't shake the images of his dream. He sat down at the table with another can of soda. One more, then he would go and get Donny.

*Don's Lab*

Finally the orange clad turtle was gone. The shade melted from the walls and floor and swirled around Don. It lingered for just a moment then settled over Don's sleeping form. The shade covered every part of the purple clad ninja's body. Don shifted in the seat and drew in a sharp breath. The entity darkened and rolled silently over him. His breath slowly released in a fine, white whisper.

He didn't stir again.

The coffee mug beside of his hand crackled as frost crept up the sides, freezing the small amount of liquid left in it.

_Don's head jerked up from his desk. His neck felt stiff._

_"Ugh, how long have I been asleep?" he thought. He scooted the chair out and stood up to stretch._

_His attention was drawn to the door. He heard what sounded like a heated argument and scuffling. Don's brow furrowed._

_"Leo and Raph," he thought. "Can't they get through one day without trying to kill each other?"_

_He started for the door but jumped back when it was forced open from the other side. Standing outside the door were Leo and Raph, armed with rifles._

_"Stay right there, Don," Leo warned._

_"Just take 'em out, Leo!" Raph screamed._

_Leo seemed to be having an inner struggle. "He-He's our brother!" Leo tried to reason with his hotheaded sibling._

_"He got Mikey! Take 'em out before he kills again!"_

_Don backed away from his enraged brother._

_"Wh-what are you talking about? I haven't hurt anyone!" Don stammered. _

_Leo looked pained, tears streamed down his face as he raised the gun. _

_"Wait! Leo, don't!" Don pleaded. He glanced at his desk for a weapon to defend himself with and caught his reflection in the computer screen. His breath hitched when he saw the mutated monster from Bishop's outbreak staring back._

_"No, no, no, no!" he screamed. Unrecognizable grunts and growls were the only thing that escaped his lips._

_"Do it!" Raph practically pushed Leo forward._

_Leo stumbled forward and Don took the opportunity as he tried to regain his balance to break free. He rushed toward his brothers and pushed Raph to the side and flung Leo backward._

_"GET HIM!" Leo yelled at Raph._

_Raph jumped to his feet and ran after him. Leo was close behind._

_Don hurried to the living area of the lair. He stopped when he saw a prone form laying on the floor under a blood soaked sheet._

_Don pushed himself forward, he had to see. He lifted the sheet and was overcome with grief. His baby brother...dead. Ripped to shreds. He killed him._

_"No!" Don pounded the ground with his fists. "I didn't do this!"_

_"Get away from him!" Raph shouted. His gun was raised, but it trembled in his hand. Anger blazed in his eyes. "Don't you touch him!"_

_"Raph I- please don't!" Don begged. But all Raph heard was animal-like noises coming from the beast that use to be his brother. Don could see it in his eyes, all he saw was a monster._

_"I'm sorry, Donny," Leo said as he raised his weapon and pulled the trigger._

_"Oh God, no!!" Don screamed as he raised his arms...._

"No!" Don's eyes snapped open. He was laying on the floor of the lab. He scrambled to his feet and quickly looked at his reflection in the computer screen.

Normal.

"Well at least as_ 'normal' _as a mutant turtle could get," he thought, wryly. He took several deep breaths to calm himself, he felt nauseated and weak.

He made his way to the kitchen, and didn't hide the fact he was startled to see Mikey sitting at the table.

The youngest gave him a puzzled look.

"W-what are you doing up?" Don stammered, trying to gain some composure.

"Thirsty," Mikey replied, holding up his can of soda.

Don nodded and got himself a can.

They sat silently at the table, neither one able to describe what just happened. Both knowing that sleep wouldn't come anytime soon.

The evil shade rolled out of the lab and up the stairs. It slid under the first door it came to. The night was still young, and it had two more creatures to feed upon.

It slowly crept up to the leg that dangled from a hammock and latched on...

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**_Dun, dun, dun... _**


	5. Chapter3 Part 3

**_Well, now it is Raph's turn. Thanks to Leo112 and Royal Frog :)_**

**_If I owned them...Raph would not be a happy camper._**

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Chapter 3, Part 3: What Bugs Raph?

_Raph found himself wading almost waist deep in a darkened sewer tunnel. As his sight adjusted, he could see a couple of feet in front of him. He could feel someone...something watching him, moving with him. But whatever it was, stayed out of his line of sight._

_He twisted and turned in the tunnel, trying to catch a glimpse. It felt as though it was toying with him as it maunuvered skillfully away from his vision. It was close...so close._

_"Hello?" His voice echoed in the tunnel. _

_A hiss of a laugh passed his ears._

_He pictured Michelangelo somewhere in the distance, his hand covering his mouth to suppress the giggles. _

_"Alright, Mikey, enough is enough," he called out._

_Silence carried on a wind that was not meant to be down in the tunnel._

_"Mikey?" _

_Worry knotted in his gut. The sensation turned dangerous...blood thirsty._

_"This ain't funny!" he growled and punched the wall._

_He heard a faint whisper, "It's not meant to be..."_

_"Who's there? Leo?" _

_Icy chills ran up his neck._

_"Don?"_

_The darkness slithered around him like a serpent. Closer and closer, until he could only see inches in front of him. He swallowed thickly and threw his arm out to reach for the sewer wall. He could follow it out._

_His hand connected with the damp concrete and he let out a sigh of relief. He inched forward, sliding his hand across his slimy lifeline. _

_Suddenly he felt something skitter up his arm._

_"Ugh!" he grunted and swatted whatever it was, only to have the same sensation run across his neck._

_"What the shell..." He shook his head and pushed himself from the wall._

_He was unable to suppress the girlie scream, worthy of Mikey, when he felt dozens of creepy crawlies fall on his body. He stumbled back, sloshing the water all over himself._

_"Get...offf!" he growled, smacking various parts of his body._

_But his hands couldn't move fast enough. Every time he swept something off, it was replaced just as quick. They were falling from the ceiling of the tunnel, making sickening bloop, plop, plop sounds as they hit the water. They would then cling to Raphael like a lifeboat, skittering up his legs, chest and arms. The were all over him, crawling, buzzing, chirping. He felt his body being covered by thousands of little scampering legs. They were crawling over his eyes and into his shell. He kept his lips tightly clamped for fear of them going into his mouth. He could feel them boring their way in between his tightly pursed lips, trying to enter his mouth. Nausea crept over him and he clenched his teeth, as an added barrier to keep from tasting them._

_He felt the panic roll in his stomach as the sensation grew more intense. They were in a frenzy...stinging, clawing, biting. He stumbled blindly through the tunnel as more and more insects fell on him. He lost his footing and tumbled face first into the murky water. Out of instinct his mouth opened to scream. But instead of sound coming out, a rush of insects and sewer water went in. He shook his head violently and tried to pry what bugs that he could out of his mouth with his hands. But it was no use, a sea of hairy legs and slimy bodies pushed and clawed their way to the back of his mouth and down his throat. _

Raph drew in a loud, pained breath as he opened his eyes. He was hanging halfway out of his hammock, one foot tangle in the mesh and his head on the cold, concrete floor. He was still struggling and flailing, it took him a moment to realize that he was not choking on a horde of insects. He stared up at his ceiling as it swirled around him, his breath coming out in labored gasps.

He could breath.

He wasn't drowning.

His hand trembled as he quickly untangled his foot. He rolled over and pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. It sounded like his heart was hooked up to a loud speaker. He could hear in thumping in his ears, he just knew it was going to wake his brothers. He slowly stood up and walked toward the door.

Still swatting at his arms and head, he shakily made his way to the bathroom. Nausea rolled over him in waves and he held tight to the counter to keep from toppling over. His knuckles turned pale as they gripped the edges of the counter and he coughed and hacked. Phantom legs and bodies still tickled his throat.

He moved to the shower and turned the knob. He set the water as hot as his skin could stand and climbed in. He scrubbed his arms and legs vigorously, until the skin reddened.

He then leaned his head against the cool tile, a disgusted moan and half sob escaped his lips. He let the hot water rush over him and send the awful sensation of being infested down the drain.

...Stronger and faster the black cloud slid into the next room. The red clad turtle was such a wonderful feed, the anger and frustration mixed with the fear that radiated off of him satisfied the dark shade...but there was one more.

Quickly rolling onto the last turtle's bed, the entity wrapped itself around him...

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**_Anyone need a can of Raid? Next part will be up soon..._**


	6. Chapter3 Part 4

**_Um...I hope everyone is still with me (crickets chirp) Yeah...this chapter took awhile, sorry. Hopefully it is ok. Thanks again to Royal Frog and Leo112 for your input :)_**

**_I asked for them for my birthday, all I got was a shirt :(_**

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Chapter 3 part 4: Not So Fearless Leader

Leo's eyes fluttered and he let out a small groan. The entity clung tighter and a small roar rolled through the room.

This one was going to fight it...

***Kitchen***

"Did you hear that?" Mikey asked Don.

Don looked up from his soda can and his brother stared back at him through torn eyelids. Blood pooled on the table under him. Donny gasped and squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them again, Mikey was fine, and staring at him like he had grown an extra head.

"Are you OK, Don?" Mike raised an eye ridge.

"Huh? Yeah, um...what did you say?" Don shook his head and took another drink of pop.

"I asked if you heard that noise." Mikey scooted his chair out and stood up.

"Noise?" Don glanced back toward the stairs. "Uh, I think that Raphael is awake."

Mike nodded. "I think I'll start breakfast."

It was still early, but he needed the distraction. Anything to take his mind off the images of his dream.

***Leo's room***

The temperature in the had room dropped. Leo rolled to his back and pulled the blanket tighter. His teeth started to chatter. The mist continued to roll and dig, it tried to find an opening...a weakness.

Insecurities, a drive for perfection, a need to protect his family at all costs. The shade darkened.

Wonderful.

Such responsibilities for one so young.

The room grew even more cold.

Leo shivered, but didn't bring the blanket any closer.

_...Dark hands pulled him along. He tried to fight, to run. But that made them dig their fingers deeper into his arms. His own bound hands tried to create slack in the leather strap that they had around his neck, jerking him where they wanted him to go. The thunder rolled across the sky, a storm threatening a downpour at any second. _

_He tried to scream, nothing but choked air escaped his throat. _

_They threw him to the ground at the Shredder's feet. His hands and knees sank into the soft, freshly dug dirt. _

_Lightning sizzled across the sky, illuminating the tombstones, crosses and concrete angels. Their faces stretched up to the dark, starless sky. A gaping hole was a few feet away from where they had thrown him. Dark and endless._

_Leo swallowed thickly and he tried to push himself up, only to be kicked back down by Shredder._

_"Your family is gone, Leonardo." Shredder's voice boomed over the thunder and howling wind._

_Leo squeezed his eyes shut. _

_There was an ambush. Shredder had slaughtered his family, right in front of him. _

_Their screams still fresh in his mind. The smell of blood thick in his nostrils. _

_He failed to protect them. They were gone and it was his fault. _

_He failed as a brother._

_As a son. _

_"You are the only one left of your pathetic kind and now you will perish. My only regret is that your family will not witness your demise!"_

_"Do-do not speak of my family!" Leo scowled. "You murdered them, you have no honor."_

_"Honor? Their blood is on your hands, mutant! You were the one that was supposed to protect them."_

_"Shut up!" Leo hissed._

_"You have failed and now there is no one left for you! No one will mourn your death, Leonardo. And when you are gone, I will rid this planet of anyone who was unfortunate enough to have tainted their life with knowing you and your wretched family."_

_Lightning raced through the sky again._

_"Accept your fate."_

_Leo's blood ran cold. The leather strap pulled tight around his throat again and several sets of hands jerked him to his feet. They shepherded him backward toward a wooden box._

_"No!" Leo twisted and turned in their grip. The strap bit hard into his throat, leaving a deep red welp behind. _

_He gasped when his feet tripped over the side of the box and he was roughly lowered into the makeshift coffin. Before he could catch his breath and try to sit up a heavy lid was slammed into place and he was plunged into darkness. Every bone in his body rattled as they hammered the lid into place. _

_He felt the coffin being lifted then dropped. Pain shot through his body when it hit the bottom of the hole. _

_The wood was just a few inches away from Leo's nose. He could smell the pine. His heart accelerated, no matter which way he turned his head, thick, black darkness met his eyes. So heavy, he could almost taste it. He tried to push on the lid. _

_It wouldn't budge._

_"Help!" Leo could barely rasp out. "Someone! Help..." _

_There was no one to help him..._

_He heard a thud on top of the coffin. Then another. And another. _

_They were shoveling the dirt on top of the box. The thuds came faster, louder._

_He no longer could hear the howling wind or the thunder rolling through the sky. Just the dull sound of dirt scraping across the top of the wooden box. He wasn't sure how much air he had. How long he would live. He tried to calm his breathing, but panic swelled up in him and it became erratic. He could feel his pulse throb in his head and he felt that his heart was going pound out of his chest. _

_As more dirt was piled onto the top of the wooden lid, it started to creak and groan under the weight. Leo cried out when the lid split open and dirt spilled around his chest and upper legs._

_"NO!"_

_More cracks and the wet earth poured in like sand from an hourglass, slowly filling the space around his head and neck. He tried to push what he could from around his mouth and swiped his eyes with his muddy hands. But it came faster and there was no where to go. He couldn't move, the small box was filled with dirt, rock and debris._

_No air. His lungs screamed for oxygen._

While Leo was in the middle of his nightmare, his arm shot out and knocked the lamp off of his night stand. Raph had just toweled off and heard the crash.

Don and Mikey heard the noise too and were heading upstairs. Raph was coming out of the bathroom, a cloud of steam trailing behind him.

"What was that noise?" Raph asked.

Mikey shrugged. "We were hoping that you could tell us."

"It came from Leo's room," Don said.

Raph went to Leo's door and knocked. "Leo? What are ya doin' in there?"

Nothing.

"Leo?"

Raph pushed the door open and the cold seeped around his feet and legs. The light from the hallway only penetrated a few inches into the room.

Leo was thrashing in his bed, gasping for breath. Don pushed past Raph and ran to his bedside.

"Leo?" Don held his brother's shoulders down to keep him still. "What's wrong?"

Nothing but strangled noises came from Leo.

"What's going on, Donny?" Mikey came up behind him. "Why isn't he breathing? Oh God, Don, he's not breathing!"

"I-I don't know!" Don opened Leo's mouth and swiped the inside with his fingers. "There isn't anything blocking the airway."

"His lips are turning blue! Do something!" Mikey was in a panic.

"I'm trying!" Don snapped "I-I don't know what's wrong!"

"Back up, Mike!" Raph pulled Mikey aside. He knew Don couldn't help Leo with Mikey freaking out beside him. "Let Don work!"

"But Raph, he's not breathing!"

Raph stared wide eyed as Leo clawed at his own throat, trying to pull air into his lungs. Raph leaned heavily on the nightstand, hot bile raised in his throat. His own nightmare coming back, not being able to breath. Thousands of bugs choking him.

"Raph?" Mikey put his hand on his shoulder. Raph jumped. "Are you OK?"

"M'fine," he growled, not taking his eyes off of Leo. "Don, what's going on? What's choking him?"

"Nothing!" Don stammered. "Help me hold him down, I-I can't figure this out with him whipping around like this."

Raph held his shoulders down and Mikey held his legs. Leo continued to choke and gasp.

Don smacked him on the face. "Leo! Come on! Breath!"

He smacked again, with more force.

The shade soaked up all of the fear and frustration in the room. But he couldn't let anything happen to these creatures, not yet.

The brothers were preoccupied, trying to get the one in blue to breath, they didn't notice the mist roll off of him and melt into the shadow on the wall. It quietly slipped under the bed. As soon as the shade released it's grip, Leo's eyes shot open and he pulled a strangled breath in.

Then another.

"Leo?" Don breathed out. Relief washed over him as he watched the color return to Leo's face.

Leo stared wide eyed at his family, he struggled to get his breathing under control.

"What happened?" Mikey's voice seemed far away.

A horrible sense of vertigo swept through his body and he closed his eyes to will the nausea away.

"Leo?" Raph's voice this time.

Leo cracked his eyes open. "I-I don't," he tried to speak, but he couldn't hold down the urge to throw up.

"Bathroom!" Leo quickly pushed himself out of the bed, knocking Mikey down in the process. "I-I've got...now."

He stumbled to the door.

"Let me help you," Don called after him.

Before he could get to the door, Leo was down the hall and the bathroom door slammed behind him.

"What was that all about?" Raph asked and then he cringed when the uneasy sounds of Leo emptying his stomach reached the room.

Don shrugged. "Maybe it was something that he ate."

"Maybe something that all of us ate," Mikey said.

______________________________________________________________

**_The shadow is getting stronger...hmmm. Next chapter soon._**


	7. Chapter 4

**_Here's the next chapter. Not much happening in it...but hopefully it moves the story along. Thanks to Leo112 :)_**

**_I don't own them...'nuff said._**

**______________________________________**

Chapter 4: Misery Love Company

When Leo was finished emptying his stomach, he leaned back and wiped his mouth. His chest felt painfully tight and it hurt to pull a full breath in. His eyes were heavy and he fought to keep them open. But he didn't want the darkness to close in on him again.

The darkness of the coffin.

The earth that had piled around him. Suffocating him.

He pulled in a strangled breath and managed to drag himself to the sink. He leaned heavily on the counter as he turned the water on. Even though chills were running through his body, he twisted the cold water full blast and pushed both hands under the rushing water. He let the water pool into his hands and then splashed it onto his face. He repeated this several times and then he plunged his head under the cold tap and drank in some of the water. When he was finished he turned off the water and grabbed a towel from the linen closet. He opened the door to the bathroom and wasn't surprised to see Donatello waiting for him.

"Are you alright?" Don asked as Leo walked up to him.

"Yeah," Leo rasped. His throat felt raw. "I'm fine. Just, uh, probably too much pizza at April's."

Don's eyes narrowed. "That wasn't indigestion, Leo! You were turning blue."

"I don't know what you are talking about." Leo's face paled, images of the dream started to flash in his mind.

"You couldn't breath. You was thrashing around."

"It was a nightmare, alright. Are you satisfied?" Leo's cheeks flared. "Drop it."

"A nightmare?" Don winced when shots rang out in his ears...angry shouts. He shook his head.

"Yeah, I get those too, you know." Leo swayed a bit before he pushed himself past his brother and down the hall.

Don shivered from the cold that swept across his legs. The lights in the hall dimmed and flickered before going out. Don put it in his mental checklist to change the bulbs and check the heating system as he hurried to catch up with Leo.

Leo joined Raph and Mikey in the kitchen. Mikey had continued with breakfast and Raph sat at the table with a can of soda.

"Ya OK, Leo?" Raph asked as Leo walked into the room.

Leo nodded as he moved to the sink and filled the tea kettle with water, he place it on one of the burners that Mikey wasn't using and turned the heat on.

Leo raised an eye ridge when Raph shivered and smacked his arm. He was still feeling little legs skritch across his skin.

"You OK?" Leo asked, his voice was a hoarse whisper.

"Huh...yeah m'fine," Raph grunted. "Um, practice after breakfast?"

"M-maybe later today," Leo stammered. He rubbed his chest, it still felt painfully tight.

The tea kettle whistled. Leo poured a cup of hot water and dropped in a tea bag.

"I'm going to meditate for a little while," he said as he walked out of the kitchen.

The evil shade was pleased with how much raw energy these creatures had given. It lingered just outside the doorway as the brothers ate their breakfast, soaking in the frustration, fear and anger that still was thick in the air.

__________________________________________

Over the next few days the nightmares got worse. Each brother only getting a couple hours of sleep a night. Even during the day they could not escape the torment of their dreams.

The lack of sleep and the constant feeling of frustration and anger that seemed to follow them around, like and itch that you couldn't reach, drained them.

Mikey withdrew from the family. He would lose himself in a comic or a t.v. show.

Don stayed in his lab, starting various projects, but not being able to finish one before starting another.

Raph would go topside. Casey joined him sometimes, but for the most part, he went alone.

Leo tried to keep his family together. But the constant fights with Raph, and Mike and Don's withdrawn attitudes, he was becoming exhausted. Weighted down with an intense feeling of failure and helplessness.

The shadow demon thrived on all of it...the frustration, anger, depression, fear...all of it.

__________________________________

Leo sat at the kitchen table, a cup of cooling tea in his hands. He didn't even look up when Don sat across from him.

"I checked the heating system," Don broke the silence. "I can't find anything wrong, but it keeps getting colder in here."

"Just in certain spots," Leo said, still not looking up.

"It shouldn't be though."

Leo nodded.

"You know Leo, maybe the nightmares we've been having, and all of this..." Don started

Leo's head snapped up. "What?"

Don sighed. "I know that you have been having them, we all are."

Anger pricked at the base of Leo's neck. He shook his head...he wasn't mad. He hadn't said a full sentence to Don in days, why would he be mad?

"Splinter being gone, maybe.." Don continued, but Leo cut him off.

"We aren't children," Leo snapped. But that's not what he wanted to say. His mouth blurted that out and now he couldn't take it back. His tongue felt like lead in his mouth.

The hurt look on Don's face was quickly replaced by anger.

Leo wanted to apologize, his mind wanted to. But his body was frozen. He couldn't speak, couldn't move.

"Fine, whatever," Don muttered and stormed out of the room.

Leo heard bits of the conversation that he was having with Mikey in the living room.

"...do something useful."

"...going to the junkyard with me."

Two sets of retreating footsteps and the slam of the front door, Leo was able to move again.

He gasped for breath. The air felt thick. The anger that pricked at his body before, was replaced by guilt and sadness. It was overwhelming...suffocating.

He stood and walked to the sink and poured the cold contents of his teacup down the drain.

He decided that meditation might help so he made his way to the dojo. It had been days since they had came in here to practice. Guilt crept back up his spine. Some leader he was turning out to be. The dojo seemed to darken. He situated the candles around the mediation mat and struck a match.

Nothing.

He struck again and the match stick broke in half. He sighed and struck another. The flame instantly lit up the room. But before he could light the candle the flame flashed brightly and burned down the entire length of the stick in less than a second, burning his fingers.

"Oww!" Leo yelped.

Ignoring his red fingers he struck another and quickly lit a candle. He blew the match out and used that candle to light the rest. He rolled his head around to relieve some of the tension in his neck. He really needed to calm down and meditate for awhile.

_"Then, maybe I can pull this family back together, before Master Splinter comes home," _he thought, a horrible sense of failure washing over him.

He didn't notice when the extra shadow that was cast on the wall behind him darkened a shade....

______________________________________

**_Cue the scary music..._**


	8. Chapter 5

**_OK, here is the next chapter. This is really short, sorry. But I just had to end it where I did...(the voices, they made me!) But the next chapter is almost finished, so hopefully that will make up for how short this is. Thanks to Leo112. _**

**_I don't own them!! (the voices have spoken)_**

**___________________________________________________**

Chapter 5: Fear Itself

Leo hadn't been meditating long. He felt a presence in the room...his brother.

Something else?

Leo opened his eyes into narrow slits, Raph was standing by the doorway. His face was darkened by the shadows of the main area of the lair.

"What do you want Raph?" Leo asked.

"You know this doesn't say _'Leonardo's Dojo',_" Raph scoffed.

"I didn't say that it did," Leo replied, frustration crept up on him, like fingernails on a chalkboard.

"Well ya act like it!" Raph spat.

Leo closed his eyes. _"Maybe if I ignore him, he'll go away,"_ he thought.

"Where are Mikey and Don?" Raph asked as he entered the dojo.

"Junkyard. I think," he answered, eyes still closed.

"You mean _'momma hen'_actually let them leave the lair?" Raph said.

Leo rolled his eyes, meditation will not be achieved tonight. He slowly stood up as his brother walked closer to him.

"What is your problem, Raph?" Leo tensed, warning bells were going off in his head. But this was his brother...why did it feel like he was confronting an enemy?

"YOU are my problem, Fearless!" he growled. "When are you going to stop treating us like babies?"

"When you stop acting like a two year old!" Leo spat back, anger washed over him.

An evil grin swept across Raph's face.

More warning bells.

Leo let out a curse. If he had hair, it would be standing on end right now.

"Well, well, well...not so perfect, are we?" Raph taunted. "You kiss Master Splinter with that mouth?"

A flash of green and blue and Raph was pinned to the ground. Leo was inches away from his face, anger radiating off of him.

"Why do you insist on being such an insufferable jack-"

Leo's voice cracked and he let out a strangled noise.

Raph gave him a confused look as Leo rocked back off of him, his eyes were wide and his hands grasped franticly at his throat.

"Oh come on, Leo," Raph said as he sat up. "You know you want to finish that sentence!"

Leo stumbled back a few steps.

"Leo?"

Raph felt like he had a bucket of ice water poured over him. All the anger and rage was replaced by fear. He shook his head to clear his mind. He wasn't even mad to began with. He was on his way upstairs, he saw the lights in the dojo and he felt a fog of anger engulf him.

But that was gone. Now all he felt was icy fear.

"Leo, are you alright?" he asked as he approached his distressed brother.

Raph stopped in his tracks and glanced around the room. The alarm was now going off in his mind.

The candles around the meditation mat flickered wildly, but the shadows on the walls didn't move with them.

He swallowed thickly as the blackness from the walls dripped onto the floor and swept across the mat...he followed it as it rolled under Leo's feet, inching it's way closer to him. It pulsed as it moved, like it was breathing. Like it was alive.

Like it was hungry.

Leo had fell to his knees, still gasping for air. Darkness nipping at the edge of his vision. He could only watch in horror as the shadow swirled under his red clad brother's feet.

With out warning, Raph was jerked downward into the abyss.

As soon as Raph disappeared, the room returned to normal. The shadows danced along with the candle light.

The air hit Leo with a jolt, knocking him backward.

Leo swallowed a deep breath, then another. His head started to clear...

"Raph!" he gasped.

He sat up and frantically looked around the room.

Empty.

His brother was gone...

_________________________________________

**_Confused? I hope not...Creeped out? I hope so!_**


	9. Chapter 6

**_Turn down the lights and get ready for some more creepiness..._**

**_Thanks to Leo112. :) _**

**_I don't own them (and I bet that they are very happy)_**

**____________________________________________________________**

Chapter 6: Darkness Takes Shape

Running from room to room calling his brother's name wasn't helping a bit, but that is all he could think to do at the moment.

"Donny," Leo said to himself as he grabbed the nearest shell cell.  
He could barely get his hands to stop shaking as he dialed the number. The phone made a low humming noise before going dead. Leo pulled the phone from his ear, and recoiled in horror. There was a thick, black, tar-like substance oozing out of the speakers of the phone. He threw the cell down and stared as it clattered to the floor.

Darkness scampered from the device and into the nearby shadows.

Leo backed away quickly and then turned on his heel and ran to the door. He threw the switch.

Nothing.

He tried to override the code.

Nothing.

He unsheathed his katana and spun around. His eyes darted back and forth, scanning every part of the living area of the lair.

"Show yourself!" he screamed.

Silence.

Leo gasped as a sudden pressure grabbed his wrists and twisted. His grip on his swords was loosened and they were jerked from his his hands by an unseen force. He watched in disbelief as his weapons were hurled across the room, out of reach.

A low roar filled the lair and the shadows on the walls started to melt together and roll across the ceiling. It made a whirlpool of black mist directly over where Leo was standing.

A scream shattered the silence and the missing turtle fell out of the swirling black cloud, hitting the ground with a sickening 'thud'.

"Raph!" Leo yelled. Ignoring the black entity, he rushed to his brother's side.

"Talk to me, bro," he pleaded as he helped him to his feet.

Raph had a large knot on the side of his head and he was gasping for every breath...but he was conscious.

He leaned heavily on Leo as his brother half carried, half dragged him toward the living room.

"No, Leo..." he gasped. "We got..."

Another deep breath.

"We gotta get outta 'ere!"

"We can't," Leo said as he lowered him onto the couch.

"Wh-what do you mean 'can't'?" Raph stuttered.

"That thing...whatever it is...we can't...we have to leave NOW! Leo, we have to leave!" He was in a panic.

"The door won't open," Leo said as he ran to the kitchen. He returned with a glass of water and handed it to Raph.

"The phone isn't working either," he said gravely, and glanced over to where he had thrown the phone down.

Raph nodded and drank the water down. He was trying to let the information sink in.

Leo sat across from Raph. He carefully checked the knot on his head and his eyes to see if there was a concussion.

"What do we do?" Raph asked as he handed the empty glass back to Leo.

"I'm not sure," Leo shook his head. "I don't even know what we are dealing with."

"Evil," Raph said. "Pure evil."

Raph looked Leo over to make sure he didn't have any injuries that he was trying to hide.

"Where are your swords bro?"

"Uh...over by the dojo." He hadn't told him that they were ripped from his hands by some invisible force.

"Stay here," Leo patted his brother's shoulder and went to retrieve his weapons.

As he bent over to pick up his swords he glanced over at Raph. His brother was staring at him wide eyed, shaking his head wildly.

The doorway that Leo was standing in front of was pitch black.

No light.

Raph couldn't speak, couldn't warn his brother.

"What?" Leo asked. "Raph, are you..."

He never finished the sentence. Two dark tentacles shot out of the doorway and one wrapped around Leo's face, the other around his waist. It jerked him back into the darkness.

"NO!" Raph screamed. He sprinted to the dojo.

The doorway was no longer darkened.

"Leo!"

He was gone.

"Leonardo!" Raph yelled, running from room to room, like Leo had done just a little while before.

The front door slammed open. Don and Mike rushed inside.

"Raph! What is going on?" Don asked as he followed him around the room. "I heard you screaming all the way down the tunnel!"

Raph was ranting. "It got 'em! I-I couldn't warn him! I couldn't stop it!"

"What are you talking about?" Don tried to get a straight answer from him.

Raph stopped pacing the room.

"That shadow thing, it got 'em! It got Leo!"

"Shadow thing?" Mikey raised an eye ridge.

Don shrugged, obviously his brother had been sent off the deep end.

"How did you get in?" Raph asked.

"The door," Mikey replied.

"No, no the door couldn't be opened!" Raph started to pace again.

"Raph, the door is fine." Don shot Mikey a worried look.

A thump upstairs got all of their attention.

Raph pushed Don out of the way and darted up the steps. The sound came from the bathroom. Raph jerked the door open and peered inside.

Leo was laying half on the floor and half in the bathtub. Blood from a gash on his forehead was pooling onto the floor.

The only thing that could have took his attention away from his blue clad brother was the thing standing in between them.

The shadow had took a human like form. The cloaked figure stretched nearly to the ceiling. The shadow that formed it's robe rolled and twisted, like something was alive underneath. It had no face, just a mouth full of sharp teeth and eyes that were blood red.

It drew in a deep breath.

Raph felt his chest tighten. He couldn't breath.

No air.

The evil entity smiled at him, long white teeth shown out like daggers.

No air.

Raph heard Mikey call his name and arms grab him before he lost consciousness.

________________________________________________

**_Hmmm...this thing is getting outta control. Wait until Donny meets it...(bwah-ha-ha) _**


	10. Chapter 7

**_Here is more fluffy, rainbow, unicorn, love, love, goo...uh, sorry..that's not right. More creepy, shadow, dark, dark, evil ;)_**

**_Thanks to Leo112, for her help :) and kittenfire (I couldn't reply to your review)._**

**_I don't own them. I really, really don't._**

_______________________________________________________________________

Chapter 7: Believe me

Raph slowly opened his eyes and winced at the sudden brightness. His head was pounding like a jackhammer.

"Auggh," he growled and glanced around the room.

Don's lab.

His genius brother was currently washing his hands at the sink, his back to the red clad turtle.

"Don?" he rasped.

Don quickly turned around.

"Good, you're awake," he said as he dried his hands. He tossed the towel to the side, onto a pile of blood soaked towels.

Raph's eyes widened and his face paled.

"Head wounds bleed...a lot," Don said as he traced Raph's attention to the bloody mess.

"You have a knot the size of a golf ball on the side of your head, and it took seven stitches to patch the gash in Leo's forehead," Don said as he examined his brother's wound. "Care to tell me what happened?"

"Where's Leo?" Raph asked suddenly, ignoring Don's question.

"Upstairs," Don replied. "Mikey is with him. Now what happened?"

Raph narrowed his eyes. "I told you," he grunted.

"Yeah, you told me a shadow thing had Leo," Don said annoyance and frustration lacing his words. "But we found Leo upstairs. Did you two get into a fight?"

"Yeah...no, I-I mean at first. But then that shadow, it-it was in the dojo. It grabbed me and..."

"Wait. It grabbed you?" Don interrupted.

"Yeah." Raph nodded. "But then I fell, like out of the ceiling..."

Don stared at his brother like he had grown an extra head. This wasn't making sense.

"I'm not crazy, Donatello," Raph huffed.

"I didn't say that you were," Don retorted.

"Well, you are lookin' at me like you want to fit me with a straight jacket and find me a nice padded room!" he spat.

"No Raph..." Don started.

"I wanna talk to Leo!" Raph demanded.

"He isn't awake yet," Don said as he stood up. "I'm going to check on him. You stay here."

"What! You think that I did this and then made all that stuff up?" Raph growled.

"I think you two fought...again, and you hit your head a little too hard," Don growled back. "Now you stay here, or I'll will dope you up so much that you won't wake up until Christmas!"

Raph opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by Mikey's shrill announcement.

"DOOONNNYY! HE 'S AWAKE!"

Don shook his head and started to walk out the door.

"Leo will tell you the same thing," Raph said.

Don paused at the doorway. "We'll see," he said over his shoulder and closed the door behind him.

Mikey was standing at the top of the stairs.

"He's awake," he announced again.

"Yeah." Don rolled his eyes. "Along with half of New York."

Mikey shrugged as he descended the stairs. "You asked me to inform you when he woke up." He flashed Don a toothy smile.

Don handed Mikey a bottle of pills.

"Get Raph something to drink and give him two of these," he said. "And do not let him leave the lab."

Don started up the steps. "Use force if you have to," he added.

"Yes sir!" Mikey saluted and made a bee line for the kitchen.

"I swear, they can't be left alone for five minutes without trying to kill each other..." he grumbled as he climbed the steps.

Frustration was boiling in the usually mild mannered turtle and he didn't notice the misplaced shadow that was following him up the stairs wasn't his own.

He opened the door to Leo's room and went in.

"Leo?" Don said as he approached the bed.

His brother looked pained and disorinated...but he was awake.

"Wh-where is Raph?" Leo asked.

"Downstairs, in the lab," Don replied. He noticed how agitated that his brother was getting. "Don't worry, Mikey is with him."

Leo shifted and tried to get up.

"No," Don said and pushed him back down. "Don't try to get up. Now can you explain what happened?"

"Huh?" Leo blinked.

Don let out a frustrated sigh. "What happened?" he repeated. "To you and Raph? Did you fight?"

"Yeah," Leo drawled, his mind trying to remember the events that happened.

"I knew it!" Don growled. "You two are going to kill each other one day and I won't be around to pick up the pieces."

Leo took a deep breath. "We argued Don, but then we were attacked."

"Attacked?"

"Yes." Leo nodded.

Don didn't like where this was going.

"By what?" he asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer.

"The shadows.." Leo's voice dropped to a whisper. His face paled even more than it was.

Don frowned and rubbed his temples.

"Stay here," he sighed and turned to the door.

"You believe me, don't you Donnie?" Leo called after him.

Don didn't turn around.

"I'll send Mikey," he said as he walked out the door.

_"They've both gone nuts,"_ Don thought as he started down the stairs.

Suddenly the air felt thick and a cold wind swept down the stairs.

He looked down at his shadow, it was cast down the stairs in front of him. His breath hitched. The way the light was, his shadow should be behind him.

He slowly turned around...another shadow lingered behind him. His shadow.

Whipping his head back around the other shadow was gone. The air grew colder and painful to breath.

He looked to the side. The shadow was there, dark as night, staring at him.

_"Staring! Shadow's don't stare!"_

But this one did, with two narrowed, crimson red eyes.

Don opened his mouth to scream, but nothing came out.

Deep red eyes and flashing white teeth....Darkness.

_____________________________________________

**_Ack! Any guess as to what happens to poor, poor Donny? You'll find out soon, the chapter is finished...I just have to go over a few things. _**


	11. Chapter 8

**_Ok, here is the next chapter. This gets pretty weird. But I hope that y'all enjoy it. :) Thanks to everyone that has read and reviewed, you rock!_**

**_Thanks Leo112 for your input on this chapter, I hope that it made it creepier. :)_**

**_And as always...I don't own them. I. Just. Don't! :(_**

_____________________________________________________

Chapter 8: Legion

Don's eyes snapped open. He was sprawled on the stairs. Slowly sitting up, he could feel the darkness all over him...crawling, digging, taking over. He felt like he was shoved into the backseat of his mind and lost all control of his body.

As his body started to move, he realized that he was just along for the ride.

A grin passed over his face and he pushed up to his feet. He casually dusted himself off and backtracked to the leader's room. He opened the door and walked inside. Leo was sitting up, his legs hanging over the side of the bed.

Don pushed the door closed and padded over to his brother.

He clucked his tongue. "Now brother dear, where do you think you are going? I am sure that I told you to stay in your room."

Leo furrowed his brow. Don's voice sounded strange. His brother was not carrying himself as he usually does.

"Donny?" Leo asked.

Don's smile widened. It wasn't a facial expression he had ever saw on his genius brother. Leo gulped, trying to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat.

"Don?" he repeated.

He shuddered when the purple clad turtle's eyes glowed red. Don shook his head slowly from side to side, the toothy grin never leaving his face.

Don waved his hand toward the door and the lock twisted. Leo lunged toward his brother, he had to get out, warn the others. He faked right and managed to dart past him. But with speed that was not like Don, he grabbed Leo from behind and twisted his arm behind his shell. He forced him to his knees and used his free hand to grip Leo tightly on the neck making his head bow low.

Leo tried to pull away, but his brother's strength was off the charts.

"Uh-uh-uh, where do you think you are going?" The thing using Don's voice said.

"Who-who are you?" Leo managed to say.

It let out a chuckle, not at all like his brother's laugh.

More chills ran through Leo's body.

"I have been called many things," It breathed. "This world has called me Legion."

"Legion?"

_"That's biblical,"_ Leo thought. "So you are a demon?" he asked.

"I guess you could say that," it hissed.

"What do you want with my brother?" Leo asked.

Another chuckle. A sinister hiss mixed with his brother's quiet laugh.

"Release him!" Leo said through clenched teeth.

Leo tried to pull free from the vice like grip, only to have his arm twisted further and his head pushed down almost touching the floor.

Bones being pushed to their limit, Leo let out a soft groan and stopped struggling.

"Are you afraid for your brother?" Legion asked.

Leo didn't say anything, he knew that the demon already knew his answer.

It drew in a deep breath. "Yes you are, I can feel it."

"And what of your brothers downstairs? Do you fear for them too?"

Leo's eyes widened. "RA-.." Leo tried to scream, before his brother's hand roughly smacked over his mouth, his head jerked back violently.

"Shhh...there, there dear brother. It is OK," the demon breathed into Leo's ear.

It turned Leo's stomach to hear this evil creature use_ HIS_ brother's voice in a mocking form of comfort.

"I will release your brother...when I am finished with him."

Don's hands started to heat up sending a burning sensation around Leo's mouth and arm. It was painful at first, then after a few minutes it was numbing. Leo's eyes started to feel heavy as the demon drained the energy from him.

_"Stay awake..."_ he thought over and over.

He could barely register a low chant, a language he had never heard, being whispered into his ear. The demonic sound of the shadow, mixed with the loving voice of his brother.

The last thing he heard before submitting to darkness was the evil hiss of the demon breath against his skin...

"I think that your brother will believe you now..."

___________________________________________________________

**_Aughh...poor Don, poor Leo! Poor Mikey and Raph...they have no idea right now! Next chapter comin' soon. :)_**


	12. Chapter 9

**_Sorry to keep everyone hanging for so long. Life got the better of me, and I won't bore you with the details ;) But here is the next chapter...and Chapter 10 will not be far behind. _**

**_I had to rewrite this chapter because originally, Mikey wasn't suppose to meet the demon just yet...but I couldn't deny him the chance to get up close and personal like his brothers did...:) I hope that it came off ok_**

**_Anyways, enough rambling...on with the story. Thanks to Leo112 :)_**

**_I don't own them, but a girl can dream..._**

**__________________________________________________________**

Chapter 9: More questions...no answers.

The demon tossed the blued clad turtle to the side. He closed the eyes of the one he possessed and within seconds the black mist phased out of Don, leaving the confused ninja collapsed to his knees and gasping for breath.

Don wearily looked up, the demon was now standing by the door. Black as pitch, the cloaked figure stared down at the terrified turtle. Don took several deep breaths. The experience of being attacked by this thing was scary enough, the fact of him being able to hear and see the things that went on around him was even more unsettling.

He quickly glanced at his brother...motionless, but still breathing.

"What-what did you do to him?" Don choked out as he turned his attention back to the evil entity.

The demon smiled, dagger-like teeth shown out against the deep black void that Don could only guess was his face. Panic knotted Don's stomach as the demon started to laugh.

It sounded like a thousand vipers hissing at once.

"Dear, dear, child," the demon laughed, sending a scent of rotting flesh into the air.

Don gagged.

"I did not do anything to him..."

Don crawled over to his brother and recoiled in horror at the three finger hand print across his mouth.

"...you did," the demon growled. It disappeared into the shadows and slipped under Leo's door.

"No," Don gasped, as he stared down at his own hands, which were whelped and red like the area around Leo's mouth and arm.

"Raph and Mikey," he whispered to himself. He had to get downstairs to them, but he couldn't leave Leo.

He gathered all the strength that he could and heaved Leo to his feet.

"Don'ello?" Leo barely whispered.

"Yeah, bro, it's me," Don assured him as he put Leo's arm around his shoulder and held tight to his waist.

"Pr'msss."

Don bit his lip. "Yeah, Leo, I promise."

He unlocked the door and half dragged and half carried Leo to the stairs.

"Come on, bro, stay with me."

"S-sorry," Leo tried to raise his head.

"I'm so sorry," Don said.

"N' your fault," Leo slurred.

Don's strength gave out and he collapsed at the top of the stairs. He rolled Leo off of him and leaned heavily on the rail.

"M-Mikey!" His voice barely carried past the hall.

He took several deep breaths. "MIKEY!"

Mikey peeked out of the lab. He knew that he heard Don...

He glanced at the stairs and saw two green heaps at the top.

"Oh God! Don!" He ran toward the stairs.

That got Raph's attention and he bolted out of the lab too, just in time to see Mikey scramble up the stairs, taking two at a time.

He wasn't far behind.

"Don, what happened?" Mikey bent down and checked Leo's pulse. Satisfied that his oldest brother was alive, he crouched down by Don and tried to steady him.

He gently patted his cheek. "Don?"

Don wearily opened his eyes and his gaze found Raph. He was standing behind Mikey, a worried expression across his face.

"I-I am sorry," Don gasped out.

"You saw it." Raph moved Mikey to the side and took his place. He grabbed Don's shoulders.

"Donny? What happened?" Raph looked at Leo and the bright red whelp that spanned across his face.

"T-that thing..." Don tried to continue. "It...oh God Raph, I'm so sorry."

Raph's attention was called away when he heard Mikey scream.

"Oh shell, oh shell! What is that?" Mikey screamed, his hand waving wildly to the steps.

The shadow was making it's way up the stairs. The dark mist pulsated as it slowly crept up the steps, leaving a sparkling, crackling frost behind it.

"That's what me and Leo have been tryin' to tell ya about," Raph growled as he took a defense stance in front of his fallen brothers.

Legion materialized at the top of the steps. His red eyes narrowed at Mikey and Raph. He opened his mouth and a low drone came out. It seemed to rattle the walls and floor. Then a louder chanting noise followed it. A language that they have never heard.

Long daggered teeth smiled at them. "The choice has been made," Legion hissed and both Don and Leo gasped, their breath trailed up their faces in a fine, white whisper.

"I've got a choice for ya!" Raph unsheathed his sai and twirled them. "A few choice words..."

"Insignificant pest!" The putrid smell of decay filled the air.

He tilted his head toward Mikey. The smile widened.

Mikey's body jerked and he collapsed to the ground in convulsions.

"Mikey!" Raph sheathed his weapons and ran to his brother's side. He held his shoulders down as Mikey twisted and jerked under his hands.

"N-no...stop!" Mikey screamed, his eyes were wide, seeing things that weren't really there. "Raph! Help me!"

"What did you do to him?" Raph turned his attention to the entity. "Stop it!"

Legion breathed deep, taking in all the fear and anger that the turtles were giving him.

Mikey started to stammer out the language that the demon was chanting earlier. He continued to writhe under Raph's grip.

"The time is neigh," he hissed and disappeared into the shadows, leaving a freezing wind and the rancid smell of decay behind.

As soon as the shadow was gone, Mikey's body relaxed. He blinked a few times and wearily looked at Raph.

"W-what happened?"

"I wish that I knew, bro," Raph said as he helped him set up. "Do you think you can help me get Don and Leo to the lab? We need to sort all of this out."

"I think so." Mikey shakily got to his feet. He helped Don to his feet and Raph grabbed Leo.

They made it to the lab and Mikey lowered Don onto the chair. He handed him the soda that he brought Raph earlier. Don drank it down in one gulp.

Raph put Leo in the bed.

"M-trd," Leo slurred.

"No worries, bro," Raph said. "Rest here."

He turned to Don. "What did that thing do to you two?"

Don explained everything that had happened from the time he left Raph in the lab to when Mikey found them at the top of the stairs. How he was possessed, how the thing drained Leo using his body. He kept staring at his hands, they were as blood red as the whelp on Leo's face.

"Where do you think it is now?" Mikey asked as he gulped down his own soda.

"I don't know," Don answered.

"Do you think it left?" Mikey was glancing around the room, making sure that the shadows weren't doing anything they weren't suppose to.

Don shrugged. "If it did, I have a feeling it will be back."

"Well then we have to figure a way to stop it," Raph said.

"Do you think that the demon thing has anything to do with the nightmares and weirdness that has been happening lately?" Mikey asked.

"You know," Don started. "That could be it. I thought it was because we weren't use to Master Splinter being gone."

Raph nodded. "This has been going on since Splinter went to the Multi-verse."

"That crazy guy!" Mikey exclaimed as he jumped to his feet.

"What crazy guy?" Raph asked.

"In the alley, that night on the way home from April's!" Mikey continued.

"That whack bag? Mikey, that was just some nut, he don't have nothing to do with this." Raph rolled his eyes.

"Wait, Raph," Don said standing up too. "He did say something about a thing feeding and not being able to be stopped."

"Yeah, he also said Mikey had a stench." Raph shook his head. "Well I guess he's not that crazy," he smirked.

"Hardy ha-ha," Mikey said, crossing his arms.

"I think we should check it out...he may know more about this," Don said.

"Okay," Mikey agreed.

"I don't think it will help, but we can try," Raph reluctantly agreed.

"Grab Loopy and lets go." Raph pointed to Leo.

"Come on, Leo, dude." Mikey said, shaking him slightly. "Road trip!"

________________________________________________________________

**_Next chapter will be up soon, I promise *crosses heart* :)_**


	13. Chapter 10

**_Here is the next chapter, all nice and quick, as promised. Not much action, but hopefully it will answer some questions. The next chapter will not be up as quick, but I won't keep ya waitin' to long ;)_**

**_Thanks to all that read and reviewed, and thanks to Leo112. _**

**_If I owned them...I probably couldn't afford the taxes :(_**

**___________________________________________________**

Chapter 10: Meet Mr. Beckett

The sudden drop in temperature and heavy snow that was steadily falling had left the streets deserted. Most sane people were in their warm homes, hugging their space heaters and wrapped in electric blankets. This made it easier for Don to maneuver the Battle Shell through the empty streets.

"Do you think that he will still be there?" Mikey asked from the back of the Battle Shell. He was trying his best at keeping Leo upright as Donnie rounded the curves at break neck speeds.

"He seemed very territorial, I don't think that he would willing leave that particular alley," Don replied. "It is his home."

"There it is," Raph said, as he pointed to his right.

Don pulled up to the curb.

"Stay here," Don said to Mikey.

"Watch Leo, we will be back in a minute."

Mikey snorted. "Like he's goin' anywhere."

Don and Raph stepped out of the vehicle. Raph instantly regretted not bringing a coat.

"So, what's the plan brainiac?" Raph said through clenched teeth. "This guy is crazy and now he is going to see talkin' turtles...this is not going to go well."

"Well it's all we have right now" Don retorted.

"Hello?" he called out as they walked deeper into the alley.

Raph automatically reached for his sai when he heard a rustling noise in a pile of trash and boxes. The old man scampered out of the large refrigerator box. He eyed his 'visitors' carefully.

"Now what?" Raph whispered.

Don stepped forward. "Um..excuse me," he started.

"It's you," the man interrupted. He lurched forward.

That made Don and Raph flinch.

"You've seen it," the man sneered.

"That's what we needed to talk to you about," Don said. "Do you know what this thing is?"

The man started to pace back and forth, the look on his face was teetering between sane and crazy.

"It can't be stopped! Once it starts, it can't...it will have what it wants," the old man ranted as he paced back and forth waving his arms wildly.

"Just tell us what we are dealin' with...and we'll stop it!" Raph growled, getting impatient.

He stopped pacing. "Wasn't there more of you?" His beady eyes darted back and forth between the brothers.

Don nodded. "One of our brothers is really sick."

"Let me see," the man blurted out.

"No way!" Raph blasted and stepped forward. "Just tell us what you know!" His hands rested on the hilts of his sai.

"Easy, Raph." Don threw up his arm to block Raph from moving closer to the old man.

"Excuse my brother," Don said to the man. "Follow me."

"What are you doing, Donatello?" Raph hissed as they walked back to the Battle Shell.

"Maybe he can help."

"Are you freakin' kidding me, Don? The guy is nuts!" Raph harshly whispered.

"Please, just trust me," Don said.

Don opened the side door to the Battle Shell. "He's in here."

The old man climbed into the vehicle, followed by Don and Raph.

Mikey raised an eye ridge. "Um...hello," he managed to squeak out as he moved protectively in front of Leo.

The old man nodded.

"This is Mikey, I'm Don and that's Raph," Don said pointing to each brother. "And that's Leo."

"My name is Peter...Peter Beckett," the old man said.

Peter scooted closer to Leo, which made Raph visibly uncomfortable.

"He needs sugar," Peter said to Mikey.

"Um... well, he's my brother and I love him and all, but I'm not gonna..."

"Not that kind of sugar you half wit!" Raph growled.

"Candy, soda, juice...anything."

"That makes sense," Don said as he rummaged through the glove box. "We would all feel better if we drank a soda or ate a candy bar after the nightmares."

He pulled out several candy bars from Mikey stash. He handed one to Mikey.

"Get him to eat this."

Don handed a couple of the candy bars to Peter.

"Here ya go." He smiled, trying to make the old man as comfortable as he could.

Peter put one in his pocket and greedily ate the other.

"Now can you tell us what you know?" Don asked.

Peter reached out and snatched Don's hand, he flipped it over and revealed the bright red whelps.

"Every twenty five years it needs to feed," he started, "It then finds a host and a sacrifice."

"You are the host," he said to Don. His eyes narrowed.

"And he is the sacrifice." A bent, arthritis ridden, finger pointed to Leo.

"You got to be kidding me," Raph scoffed.

"No, I'm not," Peter scowled, painful memories flooding back to his mind.

"Ssstop, Mikey!" Leo slurred and he tried to swat the youngest turtle's hand away. Don left the conversation with Peter and went to check on Leo.

Leo's mouth was covered in chocolate and Mikey kept trying to force him to eat more.

"Eat this, bro," Mikey said, shoving more chocolate into his mouth.

"Ok, Mikey, that's enough," Don said. "How are you feeling Leo?"

"B-better," Leo stammered. "What happened?" He rubbed his eyes to try and get them to focus.

Don handed him a napkin to wipe his mouth.

"That demon...it attacked again."

Leo nodded, remembering the events. He stared cautiously at his purple clad brother.

It was Don, he was sure. He didn't carry himself the way he did when he was possessed.

"I'm sorry," Don whispered.

Leo shook his head, relief washed over him. "Are you Ok?"

"I'm fine," Don assured him.

Leo glanced around the Battle Shell, wondering why they were there. His eyes fell on Peter.

"What is going on?" his voice raised, panicked.

"It's OK," Don put his hand on Leo's shoulder. "He's going to help."

Don explained everything up until Leo finally woke up.

"So you are saying this demon is going to possess Don again?" Leo asked, his arms crossed. He refused to let his defense down.

"Once he chooses a host and sacrifice, he will not stop."

Raph rolled his eyes. "Oh come on! This sounds like something out of a cheap, straight to video movie! Next you'll tell us that this will happen when the moon is full!"

"Actually." Peter said. "Tonight, there is a full lunar eclipse. He will drain his sacrifice and it will sustain him another twenty five years."

"Please," Raph snorted. "This is ridiculous! Why should we believe this?"

"Because," Peter growled and he removed his tattered, fingerless gloves.

"This!" He held his hands out and they were red and whelped like Don's.

"Twenty five years ago...I was his host, and-and my sister was the sacrifice."

The old man's eyes glistened with unshed tears. Tears that he spent the last twenty five years drowned in booze and drugs. Anything to forget what that demon did to his sister. How it took her away.

Don stared down at his own hands and back to Leo and the deep red mark across his face.

"The demon drains all emotions until there is nothing left. Nothing but dust."

Everyone was silent, taking the information and trying to process it in their own way.

Leo turned to Don. "Let's go home, we'll figure something out there."

Don nodded and climbed into the driver's seat.

"Please," Leo said to Peter. "Come with us. I have more questions."

Peter agreed. And they headed back to the lair with only over an hour before the eclipse.

___________________________________________________________--

**_Well there you have it...my crazy, old man has a name. I hope some questions are answered. I'm off to work on the next chapter. _**


	14. Chapter 11

**_Here is the next chapter, sooner than I expected. I hope that y'all enjoy it. No demon yet, but he will be back very soon *evil cackle*_**

**_Thanks to Leo112 and her mom for the input on this chapter._**

**_I don't own them, just Peter Beckett and the demon...hmmm, a hobo and a homicidal shadow *rolls eyes* lucky me._**

**_________________________________________________________________**

Chapter 11: Unsure

*At the lair*

"I think that we should try to contact Master Splinter," Leo suggested. "He may know what to do."

"Good idea," Don said and he disappeared into is lab. He returned with a piece of chalk.

"Splinter is our dad," Mikey told Peter.

"So, there is one more giant turtle?" Peter asked.

"No, dude. Splinter is a rat." Mikey rolled his eyes. "Duh."

"OK," Peter raised an eyebrow.

Don drew the symbols on the wall.

"Ok, Leo," he said.

Leo walked up to the wall, closed his eyes and bowed his head.

"What's he doing?" Peter asked as Leo uttered the chant to open the portal.

Before Mikey could answer the portal glowed brightly and then an explosion of light knocked everyone backward.

Mikey was the first to recover. "Dude, are you sure you said that chant right?"

"Yes," Leo answered as he helped Don to his feet.

"Well, that's no longer an option," Don said.

"How long do we have before the eclipse?" Leo asked.

"I'm on it," Don said as he ran to his lab to check the computer.

"As far as I can tell," Don said when his brothers joined him in the lab. "We have less than an hour. Thirty four minutes to be exact."

"That's not much time," Leo said as he paced the floor. "And all we know is that this thing is going to try to possess Don again and then..." he trailed off.

"He drains you of all emotion, until there is nothing but dust," Mikey offered.

"Thanks, Mikey," Leo muttered.

"We have to stop it from getting to Donny."

"What if we can't?" Don asked. "I-I don't want it to...I don't want to end up like Mr. Beckett," Don whispered.

"You won't," Leo tried to sound convincing.

"Maybe if you like, meditate," Mikey said to Leo, "he might not be able to drain you if can't get to you."

Don nodded. "That's actually a good idea."

"Well, there is a first time for everything," Raph smirked.

"But it might not be good enough," Don continued.

"What do you mean?" Leo asked.

"He can manipulate our dreams, our actions, even the air we breath. He still may be able to get to you, even in through mediation."

Leo stopped pacing and noticed the thoughtful look on his genius brother's face.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"There may be another way," Don started and then turned back to the computer.

"Well, spit it out, brainiac!" Raph blasted.

"You won't like it," Don muttered.

"Try us." Raph was getting impatient.

Don bit his lip and faced his brothers.

"I uh..could sedate you Leo."

Leo's eyes narrowed. "You're right, I don't like it."

"But just hear me out," Don said as he stood up.

"No!" Leo yelled.

Raph and Mike could just stare wide eyed at their bickering brothers.

"But Leo..."

"Forget it, Donny! We will think of something else." Leo turned and stormed out of the lab.

"We don't have time," Don muttered.

"Are you sure this will work?" Raph asked.

"No, but it is the only thing I can think of. If we can't prevent it from possessing me, we can at least prevent it from draining it's sacrifice." He pointed to the computer. "The eclipse lasts five minutes, that is all the time that we need."

Raph looked over his shoulder and then back to Don.

"Tell us what you need us to do," he whispered.

Don motioned for them to come closer.

*A few minutes later*

Don exited the lab, followed by Raph and Mikey. Raph and Mikey went to the dojo and Don found Leo giving Peter something hot to drink and a sandwich.

"Can we talk?" Don asked.

"It depends on what you want to talk about," Leo answered.

Don sighed. "Leo, please just listen to me."

"Please excuse us," Leo said to Peter. He grabbed Don by the arm and pulled him to the side.

"Nothing you say is going to change my mind," Leo hissed.

"But Leo, if you are sedated, it can't drain you."

Leo looked over at Peter and then back to Don. He leaned closer and whispered harshly. "What makes you think that what Mr. Beckett says is true? What if I'm not some sacrifice and he goes after you three? I'm suppose to protect you, I'm not going to let you take on some shadow demon while I take a nap!"

Don couldn't take his eyes off the red place on Leo's face. "But what if it is true? I don't want to be responsible for..." He couldn't finish the sentence.

"We'll think of something." Leo tried to sound reassuring. "But I can not go along with your plan."

Don opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by Mikey calling for them to come to the dojo.

"I'm sorry Don, but I can't...I just can't." He turned quickly and started to the dojo.

"Stay here, please," Leo told Peter as Don followed him to the dojo.

"What's going...?" Leo asked as he stepped through the door.

Before he even got the words out, Mikey jerked him into the dojo, Raph grabbed him from behind and Don grabbed his other arm and plunged the needle in. Before Leo realized what had happened, the contents of the syringe was emptied into his system.

Leo jerked out of the grips of his brothers and collapsed to his knees, the sedative was already kicking in.

Raph bent down to try and help him.

"Don't touch me," Leo hissed.

"I'm sorry," Don whispered. "This is the only way."

"H'could you?" Leo slumped to the ground.

He started to mumble something in Japanese. It was slurred and broken, but Raph knew that it was the few _colorful_ words that Leo hardly uses.

Raph gave Don a worried look.

"I hope this works," Raph said as Leo finally lost the battle with consciousness.

_____________________________________________________________

**_I think Leo is going to get Donny coal for Christmas now..._**


	15. Chapter 12

**_Hey, sorry this has taken so long. We have had flooding issues here....luckily it stopped raining and the water didn't get near my home. But a lot of people weren't so lucky. My mom-in-law got trapped at the mines where she works and my hubby had to walk about seven miles to get her. It has been pretty nasty here....anyways, I'm rambling. So on with the story. (Oh, and I'm not very good with action) Hope this is ok..._**

**_I don't own...(sigh)_**

**__________________________________________**

Chapter 12: O' Brother Who Art Thou?

"In theory, it should work," Don replied.

"He is gonna be maaaadddd when he wakes up!" Mikey drawled.

"Well the important thing is he'll be alive when he wakes up," Raph grunted.

Mikey gave him a puzzled look. "Dude, that made no sense."

"You know what I mean!" Raph snapped.

"OK, OK guys," Don interrupted. "Help me get him to the couch."

As they entered the living area of the lair they noticed Peter was standing in a corner, cradling the hot coffee that Leo had brought him earlier.

"What happened?" Peter asked.

"We have a theory," Don started as they settled Leo onto the couch. "You said that thing drains emotions...well, by sedating him, maybe it can't drain what it can't get to."

Peter was silent for a few moments and Don thought his explanation was lost to the old man.

"I wish that I knew you twenty five years ago," he whispered.

"I am sorry about your sister," Don replied.

"I hope your idea works," Peter said.

"Now what?" Mikey asked. "Do we just sit around and wait for this demon thing to attack?"

Raph shrugged.

"We have ten minutes," Don said as he set an alarm on his wrist watch. "The first alarm will go off when the moon is fully eclipsed," he explained. "And the second alarm will sound after five minutes, the eclipse will move out and it should be over."

"I hope so," Mikey said, his eyes darted around the room.

Mikey shivered. "Dude, what is up with the air?"

"The air isn't on," Don said. He noticed the shift in temperature.

Peter backed further into the corner. He wanted to run, wanted to get out. He couldn't go through this again. Seeing these brothers lose one of their own would bring back too many painful memories of his sister. He gazed longingly at the door, it was only about twenty feet away.

So close.

But his feet seemed to be frozen in place and his legs wouldn't obey his command to run.

He was stuck.

He glanced back to the brothers, each one shivering . The sacrifice was still...quiet. The only signs of life were the steady puffs of white escaping his lips.

"I-It's cold in-in h-here," Mikey stammered through chattering teeth.

Suddenly the television set clicked on and the channels flickered wildly. The channels were being switched so quickly that the light from the t.v. strobed across the room. Don's computer chair shot out from the desk and rolled across the room.

"What is this thing?" Mikey asked. "A demon or a poltergeist?"

Raph drew his sai. Their attention was being drawn to different parts of the lair. Doors being opened and slammed, objects being hurled through the air.

"I think he is letting us know he is here," Raph said as he dodged various items.

Each turtle scanned the room for any sign that the demon was going to show itself.

Mikey was the first to notice.

"D-Don watch out!" he shouted as his brother moved away from the wall, but his shadow didn't follow.

Mikey grabbed Don's arm and pulled him away. He stood in front of him.

The shadow shifted and grew larger. It seemed to melt off the wall and the mist swirled until a human-like form was standing a few feet from them.

A chill ran up and down Mikey's spine and it wasn't from the cold.

The cloaked figure stretched out at least ten feet, it's limbs jutted out at sharp angles. Raph noticed how much darker it was, almost solid.

"OK you sorry S.O.B, we're ready for you this time!" Raph snarled as he advanced in front of Mikey.

_Plan A: Keep the shadow demon away from Don..._

Legion's mouth opened wide as his poisonous laugh echoed through the lair, the nauseous smell of rotting flesh filled the air.

"You will not be a problem," he hissed.

"You don't know me very well," Raph challenged, as he twirled his sai.

Legion melted down into a fine, black mist and rolled across the floor. He slipped under Raph's feet and materialized between Mikey and Raph.

Mikey drew his weapons as the cloaked entity advanced toward him. He swung his nun chucks wildly at the demon only to have them pass right through him.

"Aww that can't be good..." Mikey mumbled.

"Auugh!" he yelped as the demon stretched his hand and Mikey lifted into the air.

"Let him go!" Raph growled as he aimed a spinning roundhouse kick to the demon's head.

The demon shot out his other arm and Raph was caught in mid air. Raph twisted and turned, trying to free himself from the invisible grip. He grunted any curse words that came to his mind.

The demon drew in a deep breath. "Your anger...fear..." he said to Raph.

Another deep breath.

"Delicioussss." The _s _trailed out like a serpent's hiss, a forked tongue was visible through razor sharp teeth.

"I'll show you anger, ya stupid whack bag!" Raph growled.

A flick of Legion's hand and Raph was thrown into the nearest wall. He crumbled to the ground, chunks of concrete falling around him. He groaned and slowly stood up. He blinked a couple of times to clear his vision.

"Mikey!" he screamed. His brother was being thrown into a weapons rack.

"I-Is that all ya got?" Raph glowered as he limped back toward the demon.

"I am growing impatient with you," Legion's voice echoed off the walls.

"Yeah, well I have that affect on people," Raph hissed.

Legion raised his arms and stretched out his fingers. Raph was thrown backward and Mikey (who had just gotten to his feet) was hurled across the lair into the pool.

The shock of the frozen water stole what breath he had. He kicked furiously to the surface and swam to the side. Gathering up all of his strength, he pulled himself out of the water.

Raph was sent into the wall again and an invisible force kept him in place.

"Stay away from my brother!" he shouted as the entity turned his attention to Donatello.

"You are wasting my time," Legion hissed, as Don unsheathed his bo and prepared to defend himself.

The alarm on his watch sounded.

The first alarm, the eclipse has begun.

_"Five more minutes..."_Raph thought.

Mikey shakily got to his feet and wrapped his numb fingers around his nun chucks.

"Don't touch him!" he screamed, as he ran toward the demon.

"Fools."

Legion knew time was running out.

He threw himself at Donnie, a powerful black cloud surrounded the purple clad ninja.

"Noooo!" Raph and Mikey yelled.

The mist disappeared. Donnie's posture stiffened and he threw the staff to the side.

"It is over," the demon hissed through Donnie's voice. "You have lost."

Mikey ran to Raph's side and helped him up.

"Well, Plan A is a bust," he said.

"Plan B," Raph replied.

_Plan B: Keep Donny away from Leo._

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**_Next chapter soon..._**


	16. Chapter 13

**_Here is the next chapter. Only two more to go..._**

**_I wanted to get this up before I left to go to Florida (Hubby and I are taking a motorcycle trip) So, I hope that the creepiness is still there, even though the fic is winding down. _**

**_*Checked bank statement* Nope...don't own them._**

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Chapter 13: Denied

Raph knew that the demon was now even more powerful since it possessed his _'host'_. The thickness in the air was almost unbearable and the temperature seemed to drop even more. Raph felt really sorry for Mikey, the cold was harder on him since he took an unwanted dip in the icy pool. His younger brother was shivering uncontrollably and it looked like a fine layer of frost was covering his shell and arms. Raph hoped that he wouldn't succumb to the cold before the battle was over.

"Y-you OK?" Raph asked.

Despite the mind numbing cold that he felt, Mikey nodded. "Yeah. M'Ok," he replied. "L-let's finish this."

Don was making his way over to Leo.

"Stop!" Raph yelled as he mustered up all the energy he could and lunged toward his genius brother.

Don raised his hands and Raph was shoved back, his feet skidded across the floor. The trip came to an abrupt halt when he hit a table and crashed through it.

Donny grinned evilly at Mikey, who had taken a few steps forward.

"Now, now Michelangelo," the demon said. "You don't want to hurt your brother, do you?"

Mikey's stomach knotted. He really disliked hearing the demon talk through Don...using his voice.

"I-I don't want you to hurt either of my brothers!"

"It will be over soon and then I will leave. Your brother will be returned to you," the demon said, Donny's voice was calm and even.

"But-but what about Leo?"

Don's eyes narrowed. A frown that his brother had never seen flashed across his face.

"Would you rather lose one brother or two?" he hissed...Don's gentle voice mingled with the hatred and venom of the demon.

"Stay where you are or I will kill them both!"

Mikey stopped in his tracks and Raph finally got to his feet.

"NO!" Raph screamed as Don slapped his hands on Leo's forehead and plastron. The low chant vibrated through Don's throat.

After a few moments Don's brow furrowed. A low growl escaped his throat. He removed his hands and glared at the remaining turtles.

"What have you done?" he growled.

Even through the pain, Mikey's grin stretched across his face.

"HA! Denied, demon dude!" he taunted.

_The plan actually worked!_

Don looked down at Leo and back to the brothers.

"You insignificant pests! I will not be denied!"

Raph sensed the panic in the demon's voice. He knew time was running out.

Don grabbed the blue clad turtle by the neck and lifted him into the air. Mikey feared that the demon would make good on his threat and take both of his brother's lives. What did he have to lose?

He slammed Leo onto the ground and grabbed his shoulders. He started shaking Leo violently. His head made sickening thuds as it bounced off the floor.

The demon's attention was on Leo and Raph used this opportunity and ran toward his purple banded brother. He tackled him at the waist and pinned him to the ground.

"It's over you sorry sapsucker! Now leave my brothers alone!" Raph snarled, his face inches away from Don's.

Mikey crawled over to Leo to make sure he was alright. His fingers reached to his brother's neck. Relief washed over him when he felt a steady pulse. Two new bright red whelps shown out. One on his forehead and one on his plastron. His attention was drawn to Raph when he heard the hotheaded turtle yelp.

Legion had lifted Raphael into the air. He crashed shell first into the ceiling. An unseen force crushing him further into the concrete, forcing the air from his lungs.

Don stared at Raph through narrowed eyes. As soon as he stood up and walked away from where Raph had tackled him, Raph was released from the binding force and dropped to the floor.

Raph groaned as he raised up onto his elbows. He wasn't as medically inclined as Don, but he did know that getting knocked around and thrown into things was not doing his brain any favors. He was frustrated that he had his shell handed to him by this demon thing and it hadn't even laid a finger on him.

He could feel that he had broken a couple ribs. He couldn't draw in a deep enough breath to yell as he watched Don approach Leo and Mike.

Mikey placed himself between Leo and Don. The cold definitely taking its toll on the young turtle, he could barely hold his head up.

Don gave him a disgusted look. "You will pay with your lives," he threatened.

The black entity tore himself violently away from the purple clad turtle. The demon's screams piercing through the lair. Raph threw his hands over his ears. He thought for sure that the howl could be heard on the surface.

After a moment Donatello's anguished cries could be heard along with the demon's. When the demon had completely phased out of him, Don stumbled back a few steps and collapsed to the floor.

Even though the demon's eyes were completely red, Raph seen something in them...hunger.

Two brothers unconscious, one too weak from being nearly frozen...that just left him.

Ignoring the pain that was shooting through his body, Raph scrambled to his knees and backed away.

The demon slowly turned toward him, but then stopped. A movement in the corner caught his attention.

Raph's heart dropped when he saw what was drawing the demon's glare.

Peter.

Raph had forgot all about the old man.

Legion's movements were slower now. Instead of moving like a cloud or fine mist, he moved like chilled syrup. Raph knew that the demon was losing power.

He needed to feed.

Raph's breath hitched as the demon got closer to Peter.

"Move, Stupid," he mentally yelled at the homeless man.

The demon moved like molasses, even Peter could easily dodge his attack.

But he didn't move...he didn't even twitch when the sludge like entity washed over him and disappeared.

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**_More to come. And I have the prologue to the DB sequel finished...so hopefully I can start posting it soon ;)_**


	17. Chapter 14

**_Hey there, I'm back from my little trip. So I decided to go ahead and post the next chapter. Florida was a bust because of the weather...but Hubby and I still made the best of it. We traveled through Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, and D.C. We got wicked sunburn and I got my first tattoo :) It was a great trip..._**

**_Anyways, next chapter is the last. Hope you enjoy :)_**

**_As always...I don't own!!_**

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Chapter 14: Get the shovel

"Aww Shell," Raph mumbled as he dragged himself to his feet. His body protested at each step as he slowly made his way toward his brothers. He stopped abruptly when Peter grabbed a tanto from the busted weapons rack.

Peter now moved like he was twenty years younger...the demon definitely was gaining some power from the old man. Enough, probably, to finish off Raph and his family before the eclipse was over.

There was too much distance between him and his brothers and Peter was standing over Leo in a matter of seconds. The tanto dangerously close to his neck.

"That is far enough child," the demon wheezed through its new host. "I may not live on after this night, but I am more than capable of taking you and your pathetic family with me!"

A sharp movement back and the tanto was a silver blur in front of Raph's eyes.

"Nnn..." He couldn't get enough air to shout. He squeezed his eyes shut and sank to his knees.

It couldn't end like this, it just couldn't!

His chest constricted painfully, he didn't want to look up. He couldn't look up. They lost their brother, after all of this...they lost...

"R-Raph?"

A shaky cry from his baby brother and Raph snapped his head up.

Mikey was staring wide eyed at the scene in front of him.

Raph followed Mikey's stare. Leo was...

fine...

His chest was rising and falling...

No blood...

Nothing.

Raph's vision was tunneled...all his attention was on Leo and the fact that the tanto had not made contact.

"Peter, he-he..." Mikey's voice was barely a whisper.

Raph shook his head and looked up to Peter. The old man's eyes were wide with surprise and the tanto was protruding out of his chest. Dark crimson spilling out around it.

He made brief eye contact with Raph before his eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the floor. The blade had not missed it's mark.

Peter's body started to convulse and the demon's shrieks echoed throughout the lair. The demon was trapped. It didn't have enough energy to phase out of Peter and with the man dead, it had nothing to feed off.

Raph finally found strength to move. He slowly limped to his brothers, grabbing a blanket from the couch and draping it over Mikey's shoulders.

The old man continued to violently shake and writhe and the demon wailed, but Raph couldn't help but notice that his face looked completely at peace now.

He finally got revenge for his sister.

_Beep-beep_

Don's watch sounded and just as suddenly as it started...it all stopped.

Peter stopped shaking...breathing...living. He sacrificed himself.

The air was breathable again, even with broken ribs Raph greedily gulped it in. The room instantly heated up, so quick that you could smell it.

"It-it's over?" Mikey broke the silence.

"Yeah," Raph nodded. "Yeah, I think so. Ya did good, bro." He smiled shakily.

"Y-you too." Mikey returned the gesture.

Mikey's eyes felt heavy, the cold had drained him.

"It's OK," Raph noticed his brother starting to nod off. "You can rest now."

He started to help him to the couch, but Mikey had already settled down beside his oldest brother on the floor.

Raph pulled Don closer to the other side of Leo and covered them with an extra blanket. He sighed. He didn't have the strength to put them in their own beds. So this would have to do. Besides, they could use the warmth.

Raph crouched down by Mikey and ran his hand across the wound on his head.

"Y'nd sleep too." His brother's voice was already thick with sleep.

"I will." Raph winced as he stood up "I need to take care of something first."

His hand was shaking so bad that he could barely hang on to the phone. He pressed the gray speed dial button.

After about ten rings the other end finally clicked.

"This betta be important!" A gruff voice sounded on the other end.

"Case?" Raph breathed out.

"Raph? Do ya have any idea what time it is?"

"No. I-I need your help."

His friend's grave tone finally sinking in, Casey sat upright in his bed.

"Are you alright? Where are the guys?"

"I can't explain on the phone," Raph whispered out, it hurt to talk.

"Please, just...I need ya to come to the lair."

"A'right." Casey was about to hang up.

"Casey!" Raph got his attention before the line disconnected.

"Yeah?"

"Bring April. I-I need her to stay with the others."

"OK." Casey want to ask more but he knew his friend would explain when he got there.

"And-and one more thing...bring two shovels."

With that said the line went dead.

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**_Next chapter soon! Thanks to all that read and review! You guys rock!!_**


	18. Chapter 15

**_We have reached the end of this story. Thanks to everyone that has stuck with it. _**

**_Just a little warning, there are a couple of naughty words in this chapter. Nothing too bad, but I thought I would just let ya know. (and it isn't Raph this time, heh)_**

**_I dont' own them._**

**______________________________________**

Chapter 12: Dead Shadows

Leo pushed his heavy eyelids open. As his sight focused, the light from the muted t.v. sent eerie shadows across the walls and ceiling. He drew in a sharp breath and tried to sit up, but something held him in place. He stopped struggling when he realized that it was Michelangelo's arm that was pinning him down. His baby brother's snores coming out softly on his shoulder.

Panic knotted in his stomach when the metallic scent of blood reached his nose. He shifted his body to get a better look around the room and pain shot through his shoulders and head. He muffled a groan and settled back down. After a few moments he tried to scan the room with just his eyes. Don was on his other side, he seemed to be alright. Raph was asleep in the recliner, his head resting against his chest.

Leo let out a sigh of relief. His brothers were safe...alive and breathing.

His eyes narrowed in confusion when he saw a shock of red hair under the blanket on the couch.

_"April?"_

His head lolled to the side and he saw Casey against the couch, fast asleep. Mud was caked on his sneakers and jeans. When he got a better look at Raph, he had mud on his feet too.

Ignoring the pain, he tried to set up again. He needed answers.

Mikey mumbled and stirred beside him. His heart jumped to his throat when he felt hands push him back down.

He whirled his head around and instantly regretted it. Dark spots clouded his vision and pain shot through his head. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision. When the dark veil lifted, a very groggy Raphael came into focus. He was squatted beside him, his hands gently holding him in place.

Even in the dimly lit room, Leo could make out the dark bruises that littered his brother's face and arms. Thick, white bandages were wrapped around his chest.

Raph put his finger to his lips to keep Leo from talking.

Leo slowly shook his head. "W-What happened?" he barely whispered out.

"It can wait a few more hours," Raph whispered back.

Leo narrowed his eyes. He wanted answers now. Why was he so banged up? What happened to Peter Beckett? Why was April and Casey here?

"Please, Leo," Raph continued, before Leo could fire off any of the questions Raph knew was bubbling up in him. "They need to rest." He motioned to Mikey and Don.

Leo turned his head and his eyes instantly softened. Mikey was still sleeping soundly against his shoulder with his arm draped across his chest and Don was curled up next to him.

"You need to rest too."

"Where is.."

"We'll explain everything later, I promise," Raph cut in again.

Leo wanted to argue, but his eyelids were getting too heavy. With a frustrated sigh, he gave up and his eyes slid shut. Raph's retreating footsteps was the last thing that he heard.

When he woke up again, he wasn't on the floor. He was laying on his stomach on the couch. The stench of blood was replaced by the strong smell of bleach. He blinked several times and scanned the room. It looked like a World War had went on. Busted concrete, damaged furniture...

He managed to raise up to his elbows and caught a glimpse of April carrying a bucket to the kitchen. She was wearing thick, yellow gloves. The kind that go all the way to the elbows.

"Hey, sleepyhead." Mikey's voice came from somewhere behind him.

Leo gritted his teeth and pushed himself the rest of the way. He squeezed his eyes shut and let his head rest against the back of the couch.

"How are ya feelin'?" Mikey held out a steaming cup of tea for him.

Leo cracked his eyes open and accepted the cup from Mikey.

"Hurts," he whispered out and gingerly touched the back of his bruised head.

"Yeah, we all are a little banged up."

Leo snorted. "A little?" He eyed his brother's cuts and bruises.

"Leo! You're awake!" April called from the kitchen. Raph, Don and Casey followed her out.

Don was the first to approach Leo. "Are you OK? How's your head?"

Leo waved Don's hand away. "I'm fine," he murmured. His glare found Raph, silently telling him that he remembered his promise.

Raph nodded. "I guess we can explain what happened."

"Do you want the long version or the short version?" Mikey tried to lighten the mood.

"Just tell me what happened." Leo's tone and posture showed that he was in no mood for games.

"Well, when we, uh...when you..." Don stammered. He didn't want to mention tricking Leo again.

"When the thing showed up, " Raph cut in. "We tried to keep it away from Donny."

"And you weren't able to?"

Mikey and Raph shook their heads, Don's color drained from his face.

"So, then we tried to keep Donny away from you," Mikey continued. "But that thing was like, wicked powerful."

Leo's eyes wandered around the lair to survey the damage.

"Were you able to keep Don away from me?"

Raph shook his head.

"But Donny's plan worked," Mikey said. "The demon couldn't drain you, so it worked." He tried to smile.

Leo's jaw clenched and his fingers dug into the arm of the couch.

"Mr. Beckett?" He asked between gritted teeth.

"When it couldn't drain you, it left Don and went into Peter," Raph explained. "Peter stabbed himself and trapped the demon. The eclipse moved out of place and it didn't have a sacrifice. It's over."

"Raph and I buried him outside the city," Casey added.

Leo took a deep breath to let all the information sink in.

"We know you're upset Leo, but at least the demon couldn't drain you," Mikey said.

"Upset?" Anger flashed across is face. "Damn right, I'm upset!"

"Wait just a second, Fearless, " Raph stepped in. "Show a little gratitude. Don saved yer sorry shell!"

"I didn't have a choice in the matter!"

"You wouldn't listen to reason!"

"Reason? It was a hunch! We weren't even sure that it would work! I couldn't help you! Hell, I couldn't even protect myself!"

Leo pushed himself off the couch and started to walk away.

"Wait, Leo! We aren't finished here." Raph went after him.

Don held out his hand to stop Raph. "Let him be."

"What?" Raph spat. "You saved his life and he's acting like a spoiled brat!"

"If everything was reversed, Raphael, would you have wanted the same thing to happen to you?" Don's gaze was fixed on the ground.

Raph opened his mouth to retort, but quickly closed it. He growled under his breath and walked away.

"Come on, Don," April tugged on his arm. "I'll fix a fresh pot of coffee. And I think Mikey is fixing pancakes for breakfast." She lead him to the kitchen.

"I'll take Leo some breakfast up to his room later," Mikey offered.

"No, I'll take it," Don said. "Just let him have some time to himself."

****A couple of hours later**********

Leo heard a soft knock at his door.

"Come in."

Don pushed the door open. Leo's room was dark, except for a single candle glowing on his nightstand. Leo was sitting on his bed, his legs drawn up to his chest and his head resting on his knees. He was staring into the flame that was dancing wildly on the wick.

"I brought you something to eat." Don sat the tray on the desk.

"Thanks." Leo didn't take his eyes from the flame.

"Master Splinter will be home later today," Don tried to keep the conversation going. He needed to make things right.

"Really?" Leo finally looked at Don.

"Yeah, he said that he would explain everything when he got back. Apparently whatever kept us out of the multiverse, kept him from coming home."

"Makes sense." Leo's gaze went back to the candle.

"Leo, I just wanted to say I was sorry." Don pushed the words out quickly. He wasn't sorry that the plan worked, but he hated having to trick his brother.

Leo slowly shook his head. He patted the space beside him on the mattress. Don sat down beside him.

"I know you're really mad, but please..."

Leo raised his hand to silence his ranting brother.

Leo took a deep breath and slowly released it. "I should be the one to apologize to you, Don."

"What? No, Leo, I should have never..."

"Please, Don, let me say I'm sorry too. You saved my life, little brother. Thank you."

"But I shouldn't have drugged you like that." Don pulled his legs to his chest.

"You saved me, Donny. And I can't say that I wouldn't have done the same thing if I were in your place."

Don nodded. He smiled when Leo put his arm around him and pulled him into a hug.

"I'm sorry that I blew up like that. I was mad. But I took some time to think about it. I will do anything to protect my family, I forget that you would do the same for me."

Leo gave him a crooked smile. "Just don't do it again."

Don chuckled a little, but remained silent. Neither of them could promise something like that.

Don glanced at the candle that looked like it had been burning since Leo came to his room.

"What are you doing?" He motioned to the candle.

"Watching the shadows," Leo answered.

"The demon is gone, Leo. "

"I know." Leo turned back to the candle.

"Are you worried?"

"No," He smiled as he watched the shadows weave and dance along the ceiling and walls. Leo blew the candle out. "Let's go join the others and wait for Master Splinter."

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Sleet fell heavily over a field just outside the city. A small mouse scampered across a mound of freshly dug dirt. It kept running until it met the road that ran along the field. A few cars passed before headlights hit the creature. No one noticed the glowing red eyes....

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End?


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